RenewableS 2013 GlObal STaTUS RePORT - REN21

government targets called for an estimated 20 million EVs in
operation by 2020, up from the approximately 40,000 in use at
the end of 2012; some estimates have anticipated annual sales
of 3.8 million EVs by 2020. 98 In 2012, India unveiled targets for
7 million electric and hybrid vehicles by 2020. 99
■■Green Energy Purchasing and LabelLing
Labels for “green” energy, similar to those employed for energy
efficiency, offer consumers added information when purchasing
energy. Green energy labelling provides these consumers the
opportunity to purchase “green” electricity as well as “green”
biogas, heat, and transport fuels by evaluating the generation
source of available energy supply options. Green power labels
are employed in a number of countries around the globe,
although government adoption remains slow. Among those promoted
by NGOs by early 2013 were the Italian “100% Energia
Verde”; the trans-European “EKOenergy” label covering 16
countries; the “Green-e Energy” label in the United States; and
the “ok-power” label in Germany. 100
In addition to voluntary green purchasing by individual and
business energy consumers, a number of governments require
utilities or electricity suppliers to offer green power products.
In addition, governments themselves have committed to
purchasing green energy to meet their own energy needs. New
national-level policies to support green purchasing continue to
be slow to develop even as renewable energy is being adopted
increasingly worldwide.
■■City and Local Government Policies
Thousands of cities and towns around the world have active
plans and policies to advance renewable energy. Despite the
slowdown at the national level in 2012, policy momentum
continued to accelerate at the local level as city governments
took actions to generate employment, plan for rising energy
demand, cut carbon emissions, and make cities more liveable.
City governments have advanced initiatives and policies
that complement and in many cases go beyond national level
policies and programmes (see Reference Table R16); in turn,
national governments often observe actions on the subnational
level as test cases, and, if they prove successful, are more
willing to use them as blueprints on the national level. 101
Several cities are working with their national governments
to advance renewable energy. In India, over 50 cities have
launched new municipal policies and initiatives in response to
the national “solar cities” programme, and, in Japan, 15 cities
were moving forward as “model communities” by the end
of 2012, propelled by a new federal support programme for
renewable energy community projects. 102 i In Brazil, Indonesia,
India, and South Africa, a process was initiated in 2012 to
select eight model cities to outline low-emissions development
strategies, including the deployment of renewables, using a
common methodology developed for local governments. 103
Elsewhere, particularly in the EU and United States, cities have
begun to organise themselves from the bottom up, complementing
or moving beyond national and state legislation.
In Europe, the Covenant of Mayors has seen a significant
increase in signatories, with 1,116 new cities and towns joining
in 2012, committing to a 20% CO 2
reduction target and plans
for climate mitigation, energy efficiency, and renewable
energy. 104 In Germany, cities are evaluating the implications
of the “Energiewende” and adapting measures to address the
variability of solar and wind power and to shift consumption
patterns. 105
Local governments around the world continued to establish
new climate and energy plans in 2012, based on renewable
energy and energy efficiency, and to reinforce existing plans.
In Denmark, Copenhagen set the goal of becoming the world’s
first carbon-neutral capital city by 2025, building on its 2009
climate plan, and Frederikshavn, also a long-time frontrunner
in renewable energy, announced a new target to become 100%
fossil fuel-free by 2030. 106 Helsinki in Finland and the U.S. city
of Seattle in Washington State also aim for carbon neutrality,
both by 2050. 107 In Japan, the Fukushima Prefecture set a
target to become 100% energy self-sufficient using renewable
energy by 2040. 108 South Korea’s capital Seoul announced a
2020 target to achieve 20% renewable electricity, and China’s
largest city, Shanghai, published a 12% renewable energy
target by 2015 and set technology-specific installations targets,
including 150 MW of solar PV. 109
In order to achieve their ambitious targets, many local governments
are moving towards municipal ownership or control
of local power distribution and generation infrastructure.
Municipally owned or controlled utilities allow for the greater
participation of local governments and citizens in the planning
and development of renewable energy, enabling local governments
to directly advance utility investments, targets, or promotion
policies that encourage private investment in renewables.
Several U.S. cities with locally owned utilities adopted feed-in
04
i The programme aims to help cities build capacity and facilitate local renewable energy projects. This includes helping selected cities with organising local
renewable energy councils, appointing local coordinators, making concrete business plans, exploring fundraising options, building social consensus, and
starting business projects (within three years).
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